Bradie Tennell uprooted her life last summer, moving from suburban Chicago to Colorado Springs in hopes of finding what she needed to reclaim a national figure skating title. Tennell had won in 2018, then watched Alysa Liu, a sprightly phenom seven years her junior, take the next two championships.
On Friday night at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Tennell, 22, skated a nearly flawless long program to win her second United States championship, three years after her first.
“That was exactly the performance I wanted to give, and I enjoyed every second of it,” said Tennell, who wrapped her arms around her head and closed her eyes in the picture of satisfaction after her free skate, which featured seven triple jumps and two double axels, along with the grace and artistry that have become her trademarks.